Iridescence
by Ezarine Bloom
Summary: AU. After a devastating moment in her early childhood years, Higurashi Kagome struggles to put the pieces of her shredded life back in order while living under the roof of the infamous Yokoshima Onigumo and his son Naraku.
1. Prologue1: The Beginning of the End

**Full Summary:** The snow always brought back painful memories; it was the cause of all her misery. The snow was there when her misery started over and over again. It was the repetitive cycle of humanity's cruelty. The only thing she believed she could do was end her, Kagome Higurashi's, existence. That is, until he came along...

**Author's Note/ WARNING: **_Lot's of stuff..._ I believe it's quite emotionally tumultuous- is that the right word?- troubling, in lame man's terms; slightly... disturbing...

Take your pick of ALL possibilities...

**General Disclaimer: **I don't own InuYasha.

* * *

**Part I**

It was late. The afternoon was quickly turning to night, and the sky was all ready very blackened beyond normal.

But today was not a normal day.

Out on the snow-coated ground, close to the middle of nowhere, was the hunched figure of a girl around the age of eight. She sobbed brokenly- openly, curling her bloodied, chubby fingers in the white frozen slush. Her blackish- blue hair and face were smudged with some combination of muddied snow and blood. The girl paid no heed to the disheveled state she was in, but continued to cry while banging one of her fists repeatedly into the snow. After what seemed like half an hour, the child's crying subsided. Her red, puffy eyes looked up into the darkened skies and seeing few of the glowing orbs she loved so much, she turned her head away.

_Mother; Father; baby Souta... No, you are not gone. They cannae leave me behind!_ The little girl thought harshly.

When she calmed down, the girl looked over one of her shuddering shoulders to the wrecked heap of metal. Her snow- covered tresses swished sloppily against her frail back, as she turned in her sitting position. The wreckage was unbearable; the little girl didn't have to see it and she positively didn't want to see it. She closed her eyelids trying to let the pain fade.

As she tried to wash it all away, her mind's eye saw all too clearly the scenes of a mere hour ago flash like a black and white movie. The fragments were horrifying- her mother's and father's pleas to cover the faces in safety; a crooked gash suddenly releasing a dark, maroon liquid from her father's forehead; baby Souta's wails as he tried to curl into a fetal position in his car-seat; the airbag popping open, upon contact, and crushing her mother's expanded lungs from screaming.

It hurt; the pain and too-intense flashbacks were scraping into the soft flesh of her memories. She grasped the mangled hair at the sides of her head, crying as a desperate attempt to forget.

_It's all a bad dream..._

But when she looked back up, she saw the bent-in-half and scrunched up car with her mother's lifeless right hand hanging out of the shattered front passenger window.

Everything felt like it was pounding down on her; it was as if everyone had left the entire world's problems to deal with on her own. The burden was exactly that-a burden; it was too much to handle at once. She was only eight.

Her life had been all smiles, hugs, lots of sunshine, and big happy rainbows until this night. The little girl remembered one of her mother's friends; Izayoi-san, was what people commonly called her...

"_Kagome, dear! Come here! We-I- would like a keepsake photo of you! You're so adorable; and you don't let anyone put you out of place. I'm quite jealous... But of course you're so irresistibly lovable!" A woman equal her mother's age squealed in delight._

_Miss Izayoi; Izayoi-san..._

"_But Izayoi-san, miss, I don't like piccies. Daddy sayses they can take your- um, sooelle?" A five-year-old Kagome spoke quietly. Turning to face a young man in a suit shirt and slacks, she asked, "Daddy? What was it that you said piccies did to peoples?"_

_Deep brown eyes, swirled- disturbingly- with midnight blue and rimmed by grey, stared innocently up at the tall man she called her father. Dark azure eyes flecked with grey glistened in amusement and happiness down at the young figure. His smile grew wider as he thought of the best response. Suddenly he bent down and scooped an irrepressibly giddy girl up into his arms and twirled her around in the fresh afternoon air. When they finished, the young man held onto the little Kagome. _

"_Kagome..." He began. "Your auntie," he said in a funny voice, "wants to take your 'piccie'. That's all, not your **soul**; it's only a superstition." He looked into confused eyes. "It's just make-believe, sweetheart." _

"_Okay, Daddy! If you say so," and with that, the five-year-old squirmed out of his arms and ran toward Izayoi._

"_Izayoi... Take care of Kagome's soul if it gets stuck in the 'piccie'! We can't let it get ruined, or we'd have an icky, soulless daughter," the man called. _

"_Oh, Higurashi! Shut your trap! Go back to your wife and unborn son while I play with the Kagome-angel," Izayoi-san shot back with a smug grin on her lips as Kagome trotted up and spun around to wave at her father._

_Mr. Higurashi just stuck out his tongue playfully and spun his back on the two females that were joyously dancing 'Ring Around the Rosie'. He shook his bottom tauntingly when they stopped to watch him. He laughed gaily as he returned back to his wife's side and patted her swollen stomach in anticipation._

"_Kagome is both of us; she acts like me, but has all of your impeccable skills. This boy though- he'll be all me!" He laughed when his wife scowled and she lightly punched him. "Yes, Kagome has my love's skills..."_

_Before the happy group of four left the grand central park, Izayoi-san found a young and handsome man, with silver hair, little older than herself taking photographs of the lake and scenery. She, shyly, inquired whether he would mind taking a few photographs of their gang. Before he responded, though, he held up his camera and in less than a second had taken a very great picture of Aunt Izayoi._

_The young man smiled coyly at Izayoi and agreed, taking her camera and getting into a comfortable standing pose. The group gathered in front of the camera and posed each with wide smiles. He took three slightly varying pictures and when he handed the camera back happily, Izayoi snapped two quick photos of the still smiling- but shocked- man._

"_It was to get even," she stated matter-of-factly with a nod of her head. "I'm never beaten, out-witted, or out-matched."_

_He laughed and asked her out, to which she happily complied. Kagome ran up to Izayoi-san and hugged the older woman, smiling brightly at the man. He returned it whole-heartedly and said Izayoi was lucky to be related to a pretty young lady. _

_After that, it was all downhill. Even though they weren't really related, the mysterious 'photographer-slash- businessman' was still happy to know the spirited Kagome. Her Aunt Izayoi and the man got married within the year. Kagome found out that the man all ready had two sons; one was five years her elder and the other was two years her elder._

_She never met them, never saw any pictures of them, and never got to hear their names. They were always out of the city when she was visiting Touga and Izayoi..._

_The pictures were developed less than a week after the encounter and she had a framed copy of them in her bedroom. It was one of those 'perfect photographs' that every professional dreamt about._

_It was of Izayoi-san with her parents and herself..._

_It's in my room..._ _How am I s'posed to go back?_ She thought despairingly. Izayoi-san was the only person of which Kagome could come to save her and protect her now that she didn't have a family. Izayoi, as far as she knew, was the last resort.

Suddenly she remembered her parents' cellular phones. They were **somewhere** in the car! Her small frame shuddered as the snow began to come down harder, while a night breeze blew past. She crawled on her scraped hands and bloodied knees forward, and moved aside a large piece of crumpled metal (supposedly from the door). After a few intense searching of digging through the car's interior, Kagome yelped with a half-hearted happiness.

She knew the ultimate number that could save anyone...

"Hello- operator lady? I need help; my mommy and daddy and baby brother are dead. Our car got hurt too..." The little girl waited for a response, and barely nodded before saying yes to something. "I can't see any buildings, ma'am, but we're on the side of a gigantico cliffy thing... and there's lot's of metal."

"_Do you know where your parents were headed, sweetie?"_ The operator asked.

"Mommy said something about an Okinawa shrine..."

"And what's your name?"

"Higurashi Kagome... Kagome... Higurashi," she responded cautiously.

"I'll send people over right away, dear. Hang on tight, and stay safe. Good-bye."

_It'll all be over soon; this bad, bad dream... And Mommy and Daddy will make all the pain go away...

* * *

_

**Author's Note:** So... I don't know 'bout you guys, but I thought it was sad. But then again... I wrote it.

Reviews are much appreciated.


	2. Prologue2: That Day

**Part II**

_Less than a month later..._

"I'm so sorry, honey..." The soothing voice of a middle-aged woman echoed through her head.

She tried to block it out in favor of her childish mantra. _No, no, no..._ The eight-year-old Kagome repeated in her head.

"No..."

"We just can't. Your mother and father never got the chance to change the will. You have to go with Yokoshima-san," the woman whispered. "Sorry, dear..."

"No! I won't go with them! I don't care if his wife was really nice! She's **dead**! Even his name says he's evil! _No, no, NO!"_ Tears pooled under scrunched up eyelids, and her head of silken tresses swished wildly.

"Please, Kagome, we-"

"Auntie Izayoi! You said you'd always take care of me!" Eyes mixed with brown, blue, and grey looked up helplessly.

"I know, but your parents added your uncle and me to the will's instructions. They never took time out to replace the Yokoshima's with us..." Kagome's small hands clenched in her lap as she bowed her head, bangs shadowing her eyes.

_Mommy, Daddy... How could you?_ She shook her head to dispel the natural blame. It was there, oozing out of her eight-year-old skin and reminding her that she was the only one left of her direct family. She vaguely remembered that she had a twenty-six year-old second cousin, somewhere in America, that couldn't quite be trusted.

"Miss Higurashi?" A woman in a business suit spoke up, coming towards them.

The young girl turned her head in the direction of the voice, still in her sulking mood. The tall woman with greenish-black hair was standing nine feet away, bright blue eyes looking worriedly at her. Kagome scrunched up her nose in disgust. She didn't need _pity_ from grown ups! Not after what happened! She brought her head back down in shame.

"Higurashi-san, Yokoshima-san and his son are waiting for you in the main lobby. Are you ready?"

"No," she grumbled. "Tell Evil-san to get lost in a giant poop field." She rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Kagome-angel, your mother didn't raise you that way!" Izayoi reprimanded.

At those words, Kagome burst into tears, covering her head with her hands and bringing her knees up into a fetal position. Izayoi was paralyzed with fear; how could she have forgotten. How could she say something so careless? The little girl's whole family just died in a car accident less than a month ago...

The city government had contacted Izayoi through a live television broadcast with the photo they had taken a few years ago in the park. She and her husband had been so surprised to see that picture flash across the news report, followed by a clear close-up of Izayoi's complexion. Immediately they had raced over to the police station and informed them of their identities and connections to the Higurashi's daughter.

"I'm so sorry, Kaggie-kun! Don't cry, dear, please!" She hugged the child close and smoothed out the rumpled black locks.

Kagome only sniffled in response. She didn't want to keep being reminded of her family; she already had enough guilt to last a lifetime. The young girl grabbed onto the cotton fabric of her dress shirt and buried her head into the older woman's shoulder.

"I don't _ever_ cry, Izayoi-san," Kagome stated stubbornly.

"You- your parents... they wouldn't want you to act like this. Maybe a few tears- not enough to fill a whale tank- but then move on with life, and be happy," Izayoi whispered.

"How can I be happy, Auntie Izayoi," she whined, "when Mommy and Daddy and Souta-baby are dead!"

Izayoi 'hm'ed noncommittally and hugged the girl closer. In a way she had a point but on the other hand, it wasn't logical reasoning. Kagome's way was a naïve and youthful reasoning blinded by sadness.

"You'll learn to be happy, honey, I know you will. As second in line for guardianship, Touga and I have permission and rights to visit you- and we will..." Kagome leaned in closer and hugged her Izayoi-san tightly once more before letting go.

The woman with long green hair stepped forward and made her presence known. "Miss Higurashi? Please... We must go now. I've been informed that Yokoshima-san just finished signing the paperwork. We need to hurry," she said authoritatively.

"Yeah, okay..." Kagome said, pulling away from her 'relative' and standing up slowly in childish grace.

"Come with me, please," the woman spoke while holding out her left hand, halfway turned to leave.

The young Kagome grabbed her miniature satchel she had received for her birthday and walked to the lady. Grasping the woman's hand, she noticed how her fingers were cold and hot at the same time. _Creepy, bossy lady..._ Kagome turned to look over her shoulder at Izayoi-san, and watched sadly as she waved goodbye.

She never knew that she would meet Yokoshima Onigumo-san and his son Yokoshima Naraku-san...

* * *

She had been taken to the Yokoshima Estate; she found out they were quite rich. Yokoshima-sama, as she was to thereby call him, ran a large company dealing with lawyers and that was how she was indefinitely stuck in this mess. _What a stinky weasel!_ Kagome thought bitterly.

They hadn't said a single word to her the entire time, apart from Yokoshima-sama cruelly saying 'come Kagome' before rudely walking out to the car. His son seemed positively snobbish as well. For an almost-twelve-year-old, he had the worst attitude; he wore black sunglasses and held his chin up in the 'high and mighty' fashion. With those two, she doubted her new life would be pleasant, let alone getting a simple, sarcastic "Welcome to the Family".

Two servants came running out as soon as the car stopped. They bowed stiffly at the waist when Yokoshima-sama appeared in front of them. "Most of her bags are in the back. Tell the limo driver to get all of the cars washed again. I was unsatisfied.

"And I want my corvette ready; I'm going out again tonight. Make the children a good dinner," he continued to rattle out harshly, ignoring the servants' flinches. "She needs a proper welcome dinner. Make sure the chef doesn't skimp.

"Naraku," he sneered. "Show her to her room and a tour of the house. Make sure she knows where she's allowed." With that last command, he walked up the front staircase and in through the metal, glass, and wood front double doors.

"Yes, Father," the boy at her side spoke before Yokoshima had walked away.

"Come on, girl. I'm not waiting for you," Naraku ground out as he pushed his sunglasses up and moved his wavy midnight locks behind his ears. _Aren't boys s'posed to have short hair? He's prob'ly just weird... _After that distant thought was tucked into her mind, Kagome trailed after her new house companion as the two servants and limo driver were left to talk and bring her bags inside.

_Mommy, Daddy... Keep me safe... _

_

* * *

_

"Touga, you need to do something," Izayoi spoke quietly, standing in front of the raging fireplace. She slid her brown eyes to his seated figure.

"Yes, dear, I know..." He replied distractedly. "The little koi-angel isn't safe. Not with them..."

* * *

After the quiet dinner with Yokoshima Naraku, he led her back upstairs to where he had said their rooms were. It was a mere two hours ago that Naraku had shown her the room in which she'd be staying. The room was beautiful and quite spacious for an child's room, but less than two minutes later she had seen the boy's room. _Gee-willickers! _Kagome thought back. _His room could'a had a swimming pool in it!_ But the young man ignored her awe and admiration in favor of scowling.

"It's nine o'clock right now," Naraku stated, snapping her out of her thoughts. "You don't have to go to bed immediately since it's still winter break. But," he hesitated, making the young girl fret. "But don't come out of your room tonight. My dad'll probably be in a bad mood. Lock your door too, and if you need water, there should be a crystal cup sitting in your bathroom. I think I showed you."

Not waiting for a reply, he strode down the hallway to the next door and opened it quickly, walking in. A wide-eyed and daftly confused Kagome stood frozen in the main hallway of the Estate's eastern wing. Realization that she was alone made her dive for the doorknob and scurry in before slamming the door.

* * *

It was late in the night when she woke up, Kagome knew; she had seen the clocks. As she sat up, a strangely cold sensation surrounded her and curled up her spine. Her throat was dry and her palms were sweaty. When determination settled in, she pushed the heavy comforter off to the foot of the bed and put her feet on the cold hard-wood floor, making her shiver.

She found the entryway for the bathroom from light streaming through her windows and flicked on the fluorescent lights before shielding her eyes. She looked over to the obsidian and glass countertop and upon inspection of the bathroom's cabinets, found nothing even resembling a cup of any kind. She huffed in exasperation; there was only one thing left to do...

_Naraku said 'no', but if I go straight there, I won't be disturbing anyone. Yokoshima-sama can't get mad at me..._ she thought peering out into the dark hallway.

Cautious and quiet steps led her to where she remembered the large dining room and kitchen to be. Her breathing was ragged from worry as she ran to the kitchen and climbed on the countertops one by one, searching. Upon finding a cup, in her temporary glee, she fell back onto the ground, awkwardly supported by her feet. Surprise and fear kept her from screaming out, but she hissed when the pain sunk in.

She walked out of the kitchen and was just passing back under the dining-room doorway, when a slurred voice stopped her. Coming towards her from the hallway leading to the front doors was the wobbly-walking and slightly hunched figure of Yokoshima Onigumo.

"What are you doing out of bed, wench?" He growled out through his fog-filled mind. He took a few more sluggish steps forward when she instinctively took two steps back.

What was that icky smell coming from Yokoshima-sama? It smelled grossly familiar; the scent so unbearable that it settled onto her tongue and on the roof of her mouth. It clenched at her stomach and made her feel like bile was rising through her esophagus. Kagome just wanted to scream from the impact of the stench rotting on her vulnerable senses.

But she did not; she just could not. She had been properly warned not to come out of her room no matter what that night. Her blatant disregard for rules made Kagome realize her mistake like a slap in the face. It stood less than three feet away, towering over her fragile figure, a scowl etched into old world-worn features.

"Answer me, damn it!" His slurred voice once again echoed through the small side room.

She had to answer. "I- I... was thirsty. I needed a cup, Yokoshima-sama," she whispered.

He came closer, and before she realized what had happened a stinging sensation dug into the skin of her left cheek. He slapped her! She pressed her small fingers to the swollen flesh as fearful eyes looked up to the hand that was still poised from the back force of the slap.

"Get back upstairs," he spoke almost lazily. As the quiet syllables fell from his roughened lips, the large hand suspended in the air crashed back down onto her other cheek.

The young girl reeled back in pain, and released a yelp muffled by the tongue she had bitten. She watched with fear as Onigumo dragged himself into the darkness of the mansion. Kagome struggled to sit up, and when she finally stood, her shaking body painfully made its way back to the room. _Please somebody... make the pain go away..._ she thought as she drifted off to sleep, knowing without a doubt that she would cry.

And in the midst of her nightmares, a blizzard began, slowly coating the outside world in its glory...

* * *

**Author's Note:** Ohhh, lots of those spacing lines! Speeds up the story though. Thank you for reading this far! Muah!

These first five or so chapters will not be happy- thus the angst. But I'm pretty dang sure it'll end happy. If I don't think it will then I'll end it. I can't stand unhappy endings...

Updates on all stories will come alternately.

_Please_ REVIEW! Leave comments, help, insults, or whatever..!


	3. Prologue3: A Thing Called Pain

**Part III**

_Six years later..._

The darkness was all-consuming, crawling through the corners of her mind and insisting that she continue sleeping. The black dark gave off a warmth that spread through her limbs and brought a smile to her lips. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a shrill ringing went off. It called for her to awaken but the darkness was still there, wrapping misty tentacles over her flesh and causing a shiver to run down her spine.

After an eternity of the piercing noise, her mind decided it had enough and jumped away from the inky haze. The fourteen year old girl blinked her eyes open and released a catty yawn. When she gained full consciousness, she realized the beeping was emanating from upon her intricately designed night-stand. Without a second thought a feminine fist crashed down and slammed onto the snooze button. Another yawn escaped a pale-fleshed throat.

_Christmas isn't fun for me anymore..._ She thought as she recalled the slap she received last year on her cheek for telling an -unknowingly- drunk Onigumo 'Merry Christmas'. _Good thing I don't bruise or Yuka, Eri and Ayumi would think I have an abusive boyfriend. It's always the possibility of a boyfriend..._ Kagome sighed and stood up, her feet touching the familiar cold floor.

It had been so long...

It had been so long since she had touched her _real_ home's floors with her bare feet.

She stretched her arms above her head and shook her head slowly to dispel the thoughts that refused to leave after six years. _No more..._ A loud pounding on her door paused her thoughts, and the teenager peered cautiously at the wood. This early on a Sunday? They never forced her to eat breakfast on Sunday since she didn't have school along with practically every other kid in Japan. She didn't say anything as she listened to the continuous 'knocking'.

The pounding stopped long enough for the voice of seventeen-year-old Naraku to be heard. "Are you gonna hold yourself in there all morning? We have to be somewhere today! Go to the seamstress's work room for your outfit!" He slammed his fist onto the hard wood once again for effect and Kagome jumped in surprise.

Fury boiled under the surface and refused to quietly simmer. So, following her instincts, Kagome stomped to the door and yanked it open. The fourteen-year-old glared resolutely up at the tall, intimidating figure of her guardian's son as she tried to make him implode with her eyes. When he said nothing but merely stood and stared back, she spoke. "I heard you. Leave, now."

"I'm in the hallway, sweetie. That's neutral territory. Sorry, babe."

He knew that would get a rise out of her. She looked weak, and in the face of his father, she acted like a snail with a broken shell. With him, though- that was a completely different story. With him, she acted like an inferno. A raging inferno that could not be put out no matter how much water was doused onto it. And it was refreshing. Young Kagome Higurashi was a beautiful raging fire and all who got in her way would be burnt down if they didn't add to the flames.

To be honest, he lusted after her. Whole-heartedly. Completely and truthfully. And it was seemingly oh-so-wrong. But the police never did anything about it. And technically they couldn't do anything about it, besides the fact that his father was a prominent lawyer- if he wanted her as his toy, he'd get her as his toy. _The legal sex age is thirteen..._ he thought with a smirk.

"What are you grinning about, you idiot?" Kagome sneered up at him. Her only response was for Naraku's grin to get wider. "Anyway, I meant for you leave the space in front of -_and near_- my bedroom door. Now." She made sure to add 'and near' because she knew well of the young man's sneaky wordplay tactics.

He shrugged a shoulder lazily and turned away down the hall where his bedroom was. She sighed as she watched him go. What was with him? He had been acting weird the past few weeks...

She gave up after a few minutes of deep thinking and turned down the opposite side of the hallway and turned into another hallway. On her left was a tall door with a beautiful gold-plaited sign that said 'Sewing Room' engraved onto it. She smiled slightly; the seamstress was middle, or so, aged and extremely kind-hearted, and Kagome just had to wonder why the woman was still working under a man like Yokoshima-sama.

Kagome knocked lightly and waited patiently twisting her hands around each other until her hands were sore. After nearly two minutes, the door slowly creaked open and a woman came into the light. Her black hair was highlighted by the light emanating from the sewing room and her brown eyes seemed to alight black as well. The elder woman bowed slightly and moved to the side while asking, "I suspect you have come for your gown, correct?"

"Yes," she responded timidly, bobbing her head once slowly as she walked through the entryway.

"It's good that I get your measurements every three weeks, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to make your dress and ensure that it'd fit you- after all, you are a growing girl." The older woman gave Kagome a wink, and the girl just laughed and turned her head away. A little over two weeks ago she had come in to have all of her measurements taken to ensure that if anything came up, she'd be prepared.

"Misora," Kagome called to the seamstress, "What is this... 'gown' for? I didn't know about it until less than ten minutes ago." Her brown, blue, and grey eyes swivelled to the figure who was busily digging through a large and open walk-in closet. What were all of those dresses for?

The older woman called over her shoulder, "Oh, Naraku-san was supposed to tell you! Darn him!" Misora paused to shift through the hanging outfits on her left. "This is a Christmas party for the law-firm... as well as another company Yokoshima-sama is trying to merge with. He's not so confident for once in his god-forsaken life and so he arranged for the owner to bring his sons. In exchange, he promised he would bring you and Naraku-san. He was hoping that-"

The young woman had registered what the seamstress had told her while the older woman was pushing on into her next sentence, and she finally let out a scream.

Misora looked up in surprise and slight concern for the girl. Really, was there something wrong with what she had said? Oh! What she had said... _Ohhh, she's probably taking this in a bad way..._ "Kagome, you have nothing to worry about. It's just a peace proposition. A little edging on. The owner's sons don't get along with many people and if they get along with you and Naraku-san, then it will help. The master only hopes for one night of no misbehaving, so if you could give it freely, he might be happy and not hurt you like last year's incident..."

"How did you know about last year?" Kagome demanded. "There was no way! I- I..."

"I am not like your childish friends, Kagome. I can tell when something like that has happened. I've been here longer than you have... and I'd see through Maybelline Cover-Up any day." Misora laughed a bit at that. "Don't worry. If everything goes right- and you don't say 'Merry Christmas' to a drunk Yokoshima-sama- then you'll be fine. In fact, I think you might be happy at this. The others at the law-firm are quite nice."

The fourteen year old listened as Misora prattled on and on about what could and inevitably would happen at the party. _Or after..._ She shuddered lightly as the woman walked back across the room to where the young mistress had placed herself. The seamstress held out a full length black, blue and silver lined formal gown. Kagome stood up and dazedly took it into her grasp, taking what seemed like an eternity to study it.

Its stitching was so precise that she was so sure it was woven straight from the weave with this design ready-made. Half of the dress was of black which crossed over the midnight blue and formed into one of the thin shoulder straps. The blue was of two, slightly thicker straps on the other shoulder and weaved it's way down. Kagome noticed that, although the dress had straps strong enough to hold up the dress, there were sleeves.

The filmy fabric of the sleeves was the same midnight blue of the left half of the dress and made it appear like the black could have been some sort of coat. They were styled into bell sleeves near her wrists and parting down from the shoulder, were clasped by metal brackets at the humerus and forearm.

The silver lining seemed to blend within the black and blue fabric and when she tried to touch it to identify where it meshed, she gasped, unable to find its stitching points. It amazed her; this dress, because it wasn't just an ordinary full length dress. The middle portion, which covered her stomach was a thin translucent-white fishnet type cloth.

It was perfect.

"Thank you, Misora! But... but how did you make this in less than three weeks. Your designs always take so long to make!" The teenager gasped out. It was no secret that Misora had worked for a fashion design company before being chosen as their new seamstress. So she had quit and come to work for Yokoshima-sama..

"Oh, I started making it mid- October. But it was actually quite easy compared to some of the others I've made. I spent barely no time working on it; two or three times a week for a max of four hours each day. Weekends I didn't do anything, as well as on that two week vacation I had for Thanksgiving and three days off for Halloween..."

"Wow," Kagome gaped. That wasn't really a lot of time to make the dress. _Let's see. Average how many hours each day she would work: two and a half. Two days per week is what she probably did most of the time. Two point five times two equals five; times that by four weeks... twenty hours... Oh my gosh! She only worked for less than forty hours on my dress! _She was pulled out of her calculations when Misora uttered a comment that made her jaw literally drop.

"Though... during those times I worked on your dress- within those time periods- I also worked on making the masters' tuxes. It was quite simple. Time management is a good thing to learn. I should help you on that since you're becoming a young lady." _Why is she gaping like a fish?_

"Oh, okay, Misora. Well... should I try this on so you can make any extra adjustments in case.."

"Yes, yes, dear," she spoke hastily. "The party is at six o'clock; quite early compared to the other affairs he's hosted... or the law-firm."

She moved towards the large changing area and stripped down behind the screen and slipped into the dress. It was quite comfortable and the fabric didn't bother her at all. It was snug in all the right places and made her happy knowing she owned this dress; it was a masterpiece and one of a kind. She distractedly spun in a circle watching as the fabric of the dress overlapped to create beautiful folds and the sheen gave off a shimmer as if it was black and blue water. Kagome smiled fondly as she pulled her right arm up in front of her eyes to view the bell-sleeves. Even the cuffs were lined with silver!

Misora's voice broke her wonderment. "It's time to let me see, Kagome. Then you need to change out of it and grab your lunch. Then I'll help you get ready. It's already eleven thirty! I don't know how you slept in so late of all days.." The woman sighed in mocking disappointment. Kagome knew the older woman liked to sleep in late too. It had been proven when Kagome had needed something fixed at ten in the morning, but she couldn't find Misora in the sewing room. The young girl had gone down the corridor to where she knew the woman's room to be and took a peek inside, discovering a contentedly sleeping seamstress.

A giggle escaped her lips and she tried to suppress the memories- with some success. She sauntered out from behind the screen, lavishly displaying the gown like a cat-walk model. Misora cried out in mock indignation as if Kagome were wearing an abomination and the young female only started laughing again.

"Well everything seems fine from what I can tell, and you appear to be quite comfortable in it. So what I say is..." she paused for dramatic effect. "Go change now. You need to eat before you get ready. You're going to be greeting the guests along with Naraku."

"Eww," Kagome commented bitterly as she spun to walk back behind the screen to change. "I get stuck with _him_?" The teenager let out a scream. "Why that loser?"

"Because an old man and a pretty little girl would look odd. Everyone already knows Naraku and the master well enough together- besides, what would you do while they greet guests- don't say anything..." Misora butchered her own sentence. "You'd be buckled to a chair if you weren't greeting, and that way Naraku will introduce you to most people. He-"

"He'll use word tricks and make people believe something about me that's completely false!" She shouted back in protest as she came back brandishing the custom dress.

When Misora took the formal gown, Kagome began to wave her arms frantically while pacing. She mumbled incoherently and paused in her pacing to stomp her feet every few seconds. Finally finishing, the young girl inhaled a large amount of air before releasing it like a deflating balloon.

"Of course he will, so just be wary and ready to dish out some good comebacks and 'minor corrections regarding the issue.'" Both women snickered at this comment in which Misora had used air quotes. Yokoshima-sama had used those same words relating to a misunderstanding for a business proposition.

"Okay. Well I'll see you in two hours! Later!" The teenager called out as she ran through the doorway and shut the door.

* * *

Walking up the stairs was no easy task right after a hearty lunch. Oh, no, it wasn't that she was overstuffed or bloated. It was quite the contrary. Naraku was following her up the large staircase and down the corridor to where their bedrooms were. The fact that his bedroom was farther than hers from the start of the hallway made her feel giddy and bubbly inside. _That's what he gets for following me like a predator!_ Kagome mentally stuck her tongue at him. He deserved every last little agony in his life. _Loser._

She shut her door and sat down at the small vanity that was in front of one of her bedroom walls and stared at herself for a few moments. She was pretty much fine as she was. _But maybe a little black eyeshadow. It'll make my eyes _and_ the dress look pretty._ She set to work and in less than five minutes her eyes stood out and made her look more mature. _I hope that's okay... and I hope nothing goes wrong tonight..._

Later, with the help of Misora, the dress was tied and zipped up properly in the back and the sashes that were to tie were formed into a perfect bow.

* * *

At close to six, Kagome walked down the stairs to find the bozo at the foot of the staircase seemingly glaring off in anger. Apparently he was supposed to wait for her? Kagome found out when she stopped at the base and stared at the side of his head, waiting for a reaction. She didn't have to wait long.

"What do you think you're staring at?" His head swivelled sharply in her direction and sunglass-covered eyes pinned her down in a glare.

"Nothing really. You never told me why you always wear those sunglasses- "

"And you don't need to know. Grab my arm like a _proper young lady_," he scoffed, holding out his elbow and forearm for her to link her arm through.

"I'd really like to know... It can't be that big of a deal, can it? I mean- they're just sunglasses right?" She was genuinely curious and was absolutely unprepared for when he pulled his arm away from hers violently and shouted at her.

"I have a problem with my eyes, got that? It's none of your business but my dad had these made for me and I'd prefer if no one saw my eyes! Now stop bugging me about all this useless crap!"

To say the teen girl was shocked- that was a complete understatement. She was paralyzed, wide-eyed with her mouth slightly parted, a look of horror etched into her young features. Her arm was still suspended from when it had been pulled away from Naraku's elbow while the sleeve swayed slightly with the breeze from Naraku's movements. Kagome watched on for a few moments, still not moving an inch in the least, while the young man gained his composure; she watched the swell of his throat as he lightly coughed and straightened his outfit by tugging on the lapels.

"Are you going to keep standing there like an idiot or are you going to come with me to help greet the guests?" He grimaced in her general direction, refusing to look at her but held out his elbow for her again. "This time, don't drop my arm." And he knew _that_ would get a rise out of her, just like earlier.

"Me? I dropped **your** arm?" She half shouted, her voice hoarse with anger. "Choose your words carefully tonight, Naraku, or you might wake up tomorrow missing a few _important _body parts, even the necessary male ones.." she sneered.

_Oh, she's quite good at sneering at me. Maybe I can get her to make _other _expressions at me before the night is over._ "Oh, hmm, okay. I'll keep that in mind, _dear_," he leaned down and whispered in her ear, making her shiver involuntarily.

She had to get in the last word, "Don't call me dear, snot-for-brains."

* * *

An hour or so into greeting the guests, one old couple stepped out of their limo and stopped at the door to make customary greetings to the two young adults standing on one side of the double door open entryway.

They stopped and stayed for much longer than they were supposed to.

"And who is this young lady, Naraku-san?" The old woman spoke up, a gentle but knowingly wealthy smile plastered on.

"This is Kagome Higurashi, Watanabe-sama," Naraku spoke in a slightly pleasant but obviously bored voice.

"Will this be the young woman you're to marry when your father deems it right?" The old man asked next, knowingly interrupting what Kagome wanted to say.

"Oh yes, of course. But see, she's three years younger than me. I'll have to wait until she's at least seventeen." The tone that 'snot-for-brains' used sounded a little too honest and eager to speak about this topic. He turned and smiled cheekily down at her, but she only looked away, refusing to risk adding fuel to the fire of this potential gossip.

It would definitely be known tonight about this little stunt and what her future had laid out.

* * *

At the dinner table around eight o'clock was the worst moment in her life, Kagome supposed. Every prominent person who knew the Yokoshima family and name was present, as well as most all of the workers in the household playing servant tonight beside Misora, who had gone home.

She knew it was already bad when she had silently walked to the middle of the ballroom following Naraku, and he had suddenly stopped. She had nearly crashed into him and when she looked up after righting herself, she began to wish she had never started breathing in that delivery room. The young man had grabbed her hands and placed them where her hands would be had they been dancing, and surprisingly he began the first steps to a mix of the rhythm-switch slow dance and a slow version of the foxtrot.

Many people had stopped talking to watch in blissfully stupid admiration of the two young teenagers' dancing and Kagome was quite fed up. Unfortunately, Naraku's hands were gripping her hand and waist so tight that when she tried to discreetly pull away, she didn't feel the blood circulation completely cut off from her fingers.

"We're dancing and everyone's watching. Don't ruin the moment," he hissed into her ear. To everyone else, because of his deceiving facial expression, he was whispering 'sweet nothings in her ear'.

_Blow that..._ Kagome thought bitterly and praised God that the orchestra in the corner of the ballroom had stopped playing after they started dancing only four or five minutes previous.

Now back at the table, in her present thoughts, she didn't like it one bit when the old man from earlier at the door stood up and raised his wine glass. _Oh joy..._ "I'd like to propose a toast to this evening. In fact, two toasts. One for the success of our law-firm and the help Yokoshima-san is contributing to Pailar Inc.'s new layouts." He paused as everyone shouted 'Hear! Hear!' "I would also like to give another toast to the happy young couple that I hope to live to see their wedding. Here's to Higurashi-san and Naraku-san; may their future be blessed!" he shouted throughout the dining room and some servants winced.

Kagome barely noticeably slouched in her seat as Yokoshima-sama gazed in a bemused fashion at the two young adults sitting to his right. Naraku seemed perfectly content, and dare she admit it?

_Happy? He looks so frickin' happy! What is _with _him? _

She watched on as along down the table, people turned their heads to clink glasses with the person on either side of them. A snarl rose in the back of her throat and when she realized it, she squashed it fiercely. It would not do to over-react. _Think of last Christmas...think of last Christmas... _Yokoshima-sama was still staring at her so she took a risk for freedom. "Yokoshima-sama, may I be excused for a few moments? I believe some fresh air would do me well," she played out, thankful she had taken acting lessons- Yokoshima had been generous.

"Ah yes, Kagome, you may step out or go up to your bedroom. Be back later though," he nodded his head in her direction and she took that as her cue to stand, curtsying.

As she moved away from the table, she heard the old man- who was sitting on Yokoshima's left- say: "Onigumo-san, did I say something to offend the young woman?" _Oh, yeah ya did, you mean old man..._

Winding back through the maze of rooms she walked swiftly to the grand staircase and climbed the steps not hesitating in the least. At her door, Kagome paused. Standing here felt weird. It wasn't like she didn't want to go in, but it felt like...

...like someone was watching her.

The teenager turned her head back in the direction she had come, down the dark and lengthy corridor, trying to understand this feeling. As her eyes refocused on the door, they caught a flash of something long and silvery. A scream caught in her throat, but she muffled what might have come out by clutching at her neck like someone actively dying from poison. There was another flash of silver, but shorter, and immediately disappeared as if it had never been there. _What the-? What was that?_ she mentally screamed at herself, but berated her person for thinking there could be anything or anyone in this house to harm her. There was security. Guard dogs and very strong men able to take down anything or anyone unwanted that came near the house. _-Mansion. This isn't an ordinary house..._ She sighed.

No one gave a flip about its 'name'...

Well those two flashes had scared her and she was fully prepared to fall asleep and never wake up. _But Yokoshima-sama said I had to be back soon. No matter how much that evil... thing- sugar coated his words, the threat is still there..._ Without realizing it, Kagome had promptly sashayed into the land of dreams, unaware of what lurked outside in the world of the conscious.

* * *

She was rudely awakened sometime later when she was ruthlessly dragged off the bed. Her sleep-filled eyes were open and alert- and completely in shock- staring at a fuming Yokoshima Onigumo. In the doorway, she vaguely noticed, was a smug looking Naraku. "You fuckin' bitch! You filthy whore-ish brat! I told you to be downstairs before the party was over! You didn't listen to me and you made me look like a fool when I couldn't find you; when I had to announce that you weren't feeling well. Pailar's owner thought I flaked, you little bitch! What do you have to say?" His words echoed in her ears, as well as the large bedroom.

"I-I... didn't...Please don't hurt me! I didn't mean it! I was going to go back down-" Her words were cut off when he slapped her.

"You _were_ going to go back down, but you thought it'd be more fun to ruin my businesses! You little slut. Well I think I'll ruin you. It's two days before Christmas... Naraku," he called out in a low voice. "I'm giving you one more present than I thought, and it's crumpled on the floor in black and blue silk," at that Kagome's eyes widened. _Oh, God, no... No, no!_ "I give you, Yokoshima Naraku, Higurashi Kagome's ...virginity. Merry Christmas, you two."

He walked out of the room with a content gait and down to the library on the first floor. In the next passing hour, shrill screams and crying echoed through the house originating from the young girl's bedroom. As the screams swirled around him like a haunting song, Yokoshima Onigumo smiled viciously. What a guy could do! And no one ever believed the little bitch's words; to everyone that she could get to, her words were lies strung like a harp. They were a siren's false call, and no one could hear it.

Still- she was a threat to his family name. It was his security and if, by some chance, she got someone of prominent power to believe her -true- stories, he would drop dead from the forcing blow of clashing companies.

...Well it was a good thing he had his other 'company' for backup.

* * *

When Naraku finally pulled out of her, it was torturous and slow, hurting her as much as she thought was still possible. His sweat covered body hovered over her for what seemed like an eternity and she lay still trying not to draw attention to herself. His movements caught her attentions, he had shifted to lay down beside her on her large bed and was running his hands through his hair. "I finally got what I wanted," he spoke so casually and it seared her soul. "You, though, should have been less squirmy. It would have hurt less, since it was your first." With those words stabbed through her, he rolled the other way and off the bed, to stand.

He moved around the ripped fabric of the dress and picked up the discarded pieces of his tuxedo. As his feet lightly thudded against the tile, he spoke one last thing. "You were so fun to taste. I can't wait for another round." She paused so suddenly in her wiggling on her bed; he wouldn't get the chance if she had to kill herself. He'd fuck a dead corpse. She watched through half lidded, multi-coloured eyes as he walked casually out the door- which had been left open through the whole ordeal- and turn in the direction of his own room.

She moved as swiftly as possible when she heard small noises coming from Naraku's room; it was on the other side of the wall that her bed was pressed against. The oak door slammed shut as loudly as she could and moved back over to the bed which she had immediately deemed 'The Gate To Hell'. Her theory was, if you laid in it, your soul would be sent to Hell immediately.

That was a good theory, she decided resolutely, staring at the rumpled bed sheets and obvious bloodstains.

With a blood-curdling scream tearing out of her throat, Kagome ripped the white silk sheets off the bed. In her haste to get rid of some of the more obvious blankets, fabric was torn and tossed aside. When she finished, she stared listlessly at the bare mattress. It just hurt so much to look at it; she was surprised she could walk- stand- lift an arm! The teenager didn't notice the sounds emitting from her throat, horrible sobs that her ears couldn't hear because of the pain she felt.

_It just hurts so much... Why do I deserve this? And why is it always around Christmas time? Did I do something wrong in that car crash? Is it because I'm still alive and they're dead? God, tell me what I did so I can fix it? I'm only fourteen, but I'm sure- I'm so sure I can make it right if I try!_ She had walked over to the large balcony and glass door, letting herself fall in a heap in the corner where the closed glass met another corner of the wall.

The young woman finally felt the sobs rub into the soft flesh of her larynx, and she sobbed harder. The pain would go away, she knew. Eventually... because time healed all wounds. _..And no one's here to save me anymore. I'm on my own... I'm completely on my own,_ she thought to herself as she drifted off to sleep, still crumpled lifelessly in the darkened corner.

As her thoughts swirled back into the dark abyss of unconsciousness, she didn't notice the small and almost invisible crystal fall from the early morning sky. It stuck to the glass door, as close to the unconsciously sobbing girl as it could get, and slid slowly down as heat from inside seeped through the glass to melt it.

The slowly melting snowflake knew it would be the first of many to fall in this light snowfall...

* * *

**Author's Note:** Oh, I'm bad, and I'm sorry. I do apologize. I want Kagome to meet the brothers at the right time, and my brain keeps telling me it's the wrong time..

Sorry.

So now, REVIEW.

_**REVIEW.**_

_**REVIEW.**_

_**REVIEW.**_


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